Fe-Mn-Al alloy club body combining with a Ti alloy striking plate

ABSTRACT

A golf club head structure includes a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body and a Ti alloy striking plate. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body connects to the Ti alloy striking plate by press-fitting or brazing so that the combined club head structure obtains lower Young&#39;s modulus to transmit a complete striking stress from the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body to the Ti alloy striking plate while striking a golf ball. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body can eliminate vibration to maintain high elastic deformation of the Ti alloy striking plate while striking a golf ball. Furthermore, a W—Fe—Ni alloy weight member connects to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body by welding since Fe—Mn—Al alloy performs excellent heterogeneous welding ability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body combining with a Ti alloy striking plate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf club head structure consisting of Fe—Mn—Al alloy and Ti alloy for improving vibration-absorbable ability and elastic deformation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a conventional golf club head includes a club body and a striking plate connected thereto. In manufacture, the club body is made of material selected from a group consisting of stainless steel, carbon steel and alloyed steel in consideration of manufacture cost, striking ability and entire structural strength. Correspondingly, the striking plate is made of Ti alloy. In comparison with the material of the club body, the material of the striking plate has lower Young's modulus. The Young's modulus is given by E=stress/strain=load/displacement kgf/mm ²

-   -   where E is the Young's modulus of material. The Young's modulus         of material is inverse proportion to coefficient of restitution         (COR). Namely, an increase of Young's modulus results in a         decrease of coefficient of restitution. Hence, the striking         plate employs lower Young's modulus of material to obtain higher         coefficient of restitution for high deformation within elastic         limit of the material while striking a golf ball. Accordingly,         the striking plate can reduce a damping effect upon absorbing a         striking stress that attenuates impact deformation of the golf         ball. Consequently, it can avoid attenuating (losing) energy of         a striking stress and increase a striking distance.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the club body is usually made of high Young's modulus material, 17-4 steel having Young's modulus of 20,765 kgf/mm² for example, in consideration of structural strength and manufacture cost in the industry. The higher Young's modulus material of the club body performs low elastic deformation ability and high coefficient of damping that results in excessive absorption of an impact force while striking a golf ball. Consequently, the excessive absorption of the club body affects normal elastic deformation and striking ability of the striking plate. Meanwhile, the excessive absorption of the club body is converted into a vibration and then transmitted to a club shaft and a club grip that affects striking stability, gripping feel for hands and structural strength of a connecting portion of the club body. In addition, the conventional club body is made of low-carbon steel, carbon steel or alloy steel which has poor heterogeneous welding quality for different metals. To avoid this task, the golf club body combines with a weight member by a method selected from consisting of snap-fitting, press-fitting and brazing instead of welding. Consequently, it may prolong the manufacture time of the golf club head.

The present invention intends to provide a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body combining with a Ti alloy striking plate. In comparison with the club body made of stainless steel, carbon steel or other alloy steel, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body has lower Young's modulus that performs excellent vibration-absorbable ability and heterogeneous welding quality for different metals. Thereby, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body is able to transmit a complete striking stress to the Ti alloy striking plate that can attenuate vibration and maintain high elastic deformation to improve striking ability, striking stability, gripping feel for hands and combined strength of a weight member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of this invention is to provide a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body which is able to transmit a complete striking stress to a striking plate. Thereby, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body reduces the possibility of attenuating the striking stress, and thus improves striking ability and striking distance.

The secondary objective of this invention is to provide a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body which is combined with a Ti alloy striking plate. Thereby, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body can avoid vibration to enhance striking stability and gripping feel for hands.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body which has excellent heterogeneous welding quality for different metals. Thereby, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body is suitable for welding a weight member and speeds the processing time.

The golf club head structure in accordance with the present invention includes a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body and a Ti alloy striking plate. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body connects to the Ti alloy striking plate by press-fitting or brazing so that the combined club head structure obtains lower Young's modulus to transmit a complete striking stress from the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body to the Ti alloy striking plate while striking a golf ball. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body can eliminate vibration to maintain high elastic deformation of the Ti alloy striking plate while striking a golf ball. Furthermore, a W—Fe—Ni alloy weight member connects to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body by welding since Fe—Mn—Al alloy performs excellent heterogeneous welding ability.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a table and a graph showing Young's modulus of a conventional golf club head made of 17-4 stainless steel;

FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled golf club head in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a table and a graph showing Young's modulus of the golf club head in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled golf club head in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to FIGS. 2 through 4, a golf club head in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention includes a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and a Ti alloy striking plate 20. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 is made of Fe—Mn—Al alloy which has Young's modulus of 144425 kgf/mm². The Ti alloy striking plate 20 is made of Ti alloy which has lower Young's modulus.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the construction of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and the Ti alloy striking plate 20 shall be described in detail. The Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 forms an opening 11 at its front side. The opening 11 provides with a shoulder 12 which is adapted to engage with the Ti alloy striking plate 20. Furthermore, the opening 11 includes a compensating protrusion 13 at its annular circumference (not labeled) for the punching process. Correspondingly, the Ti alloy striking plate 20 provides with a stepped portion 21 at its annular circumference for permitting deformation of the compensating protrusion 13.

Referring still to FIGS. 2 and 3, in the assembling process, the Ti alloy striking plate 20 is initially inserted into the opening 11 of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10. Subsequently, a punching machine (not shown) is used to punch the compensating protrusion 13 of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 so that a compensation portion 13′ engages the stepped portion 21 of the Ti alloy striking plate 20. Accordingly, a combined member of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and the Ti alloy striking plate 20 constitutes the golf club head.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 4, in comparison with the conventional club body made of 17-4 stainless steel, the material of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 has adequate strength and lower Young's modulus of 14,425 kgf/mm². Namely, on the basis of deformation within elastic limit of the material, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 obtains greater coefficient of restitution and higher degrees of elastic deformation. In striking a golf ball, a part of the striking stress of the Ti alloy striking plate 20 may be transmitted to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10. However, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 performs higher elastic deformation and thus returns the complete striking stress to the Ti alloy striking plate 20. Consequently, the combined member of the golf club head accomplishes the excellent striking ability and enhances the striking distance. Since the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 returns the complete striking stress to the Ti alloy striking plate 20, the golf club head can avoid vibration and enhance gripping feel while striking a golf ball. Additionally, the golf club head reduces the possibility of generating cracks on the connection portion of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 to the Ti alloy striking plate 20.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, reference numerals of the second embodiment have applied the identical numerals of the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The construction of the golf club head structure of the second embodiment has the similar configuration and same function as that of the first embodiment and the detailed descriptions are omitted.

Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6, in comparison with the first embodiment, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 of the second embodiment includes a compartment 14 at its underside. The compartment 14 is adapted to accommodate a weight member 30 for adjusting a center of gravity. In addition to the lower Young's modulus, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 has excellent heterogeneous welding quality for different metals. In the assembling process, the weight member 30 is suitable for welding to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 besides press fitting, brazing and punching. Thus, the welding the weight member 30 to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 enhances combination strength, welding quality and processing time. Preferably, the welding process is selected from a group consisting of gas tungsten arc welding, brazing, laser beam welding, plasma arc welding and ion beam welding. Preferably, the weight member 30 is made of heavier material with specific gravity greater than 10.0 g/cm³, W alloy or W—Fe—Ni alloy for example. In comparison with the Fe—Mn—Al alloy material with specific gravity of 6.8 g/cm³, the heavier material of the weight member 30 can specifically lower a center of gravity.

Turning now to FIG. 7, reference numerals of the third embodiment have applied the identical numerals of the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The construction of the golf club head structure of the third embodiment has the similar configuration and same function as that of the first embodiment and the detailed descriptions are omitted.

Referring again to FIG. 7, in comparison with the first and second embodiments, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 of the third embodiment employs a solder ring 40 for brazing the Ti alloy striking plate 20. The solder ring 40 is disposed on the shoulder 12 of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and sandwiched in between the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and the Ti alloy striking plate 20. In brazing, the solder ring 40 is pressed by the Ti alloy striking plate 20 and deformed in the opening 11 of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10. Subsequently, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 is heated to melt the solder ring 40 for brazing the Ti alloy striking plate 20. Consequently, the combined member of the golf club head accomplishes the excellent striking ability and enhances the striking distance. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 of the third embodiment includes a compartment 14 or the like for accommodating a weight member 30.

The conventional combined member of the club body and the striking plate may result in a reduction of the striking stress and considerable vibration. Referring back to FIG. 3, the combined member of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body 10 and the Ti alloy striking plate 20 accomplishes excellent heterogeneous welding, striking ability, striking stability, gripping feel and combination strength.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A golf club head comprising: a Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body; and a Ti alloy striking plate mounted to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body to constitute a combined member of the golf club head; wherein when striking a golf ball, the combined member of the golf club head can return a striking stress from the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body to the Ti alloy striling plate that improves the elastic deformation of the Ti alloy striking plate and the striking ability of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body.
 2. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the Ti alloy striking plate is combined with the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body by a punching machine.
 3. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the Ti alloy striking plate connects to the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body in a brazing process.
 4. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body further includes a compartment adapted to accommodate a weight member.
 5. The golf club head as defined in claim 4, wherein the weight member made of heavier material with specific gravity greater than 10.0 g/cm³ selected from W alloy or W—Fe—Ni alloy relative to Fe—Mn—Al alloy.
 6. The golf club head as defined in claim 4, wherein the weight member is mounted in the compartment of the Fe—Mn—Al alloy club body in a welding process.
 7. The golf club head as defined in claim 6, wherein the welding process is selected from a group consisting of gas tungsten arc welding, brazing, laser beam welding, plasma arc welding and ion beam welding. 